FUR IN FASHION.

I never saw so much fur shown in the shops as during this winter. There are any amount of fur coats to be had, and the women are having them, too. They say that fur is cheap, but I tell them that fur is never cheap, and my contention cannot be disproved. Women are not only wearing fur coats, but their dresses are profusely trimmed with fur-and the fur used for this purpose is high-priced. The curious coincidence is that, so far, we have had practically no winter. The days and nights have been spring-like, almost throughout the cold season.

A Member of Parliament said in a statement he made in the House of Commons some time ago that expensive lace handkerchiefs are hanging in the shop-windows in Regent Street. So they are, even to-day, and besides, many other high priced articles that I could name had I the space to do so. The shop-keepers grumble, and so do the dressmakers. Gold-smiths and silver-smiths also complain. In spite of it all, however, their business has not suffered the loss that a real national campaign for economy would have entailed.

What I have said must not be taken to indicate that no economies in respect of dress have been effected. Much evidence to the contrary available. Dress-making and millinery are far from flourishing, and the business of drapers and lothiers has suffered some depression. Goldmiths, silver-smiths, watch-makers, and the like, 2, are not doing the business that they tranbed before the war. Theatres, too, are affected.

PICTURE PALACES.

e cinematographs, or picture palaces, as they -lled, are, however, prospering. They are ed, especially in the afternoon and early

One of the most commodious, luxurianest, and most enterprising cinematoin London is in my neighbourhood. It is "as "The Tower Cinema." I go to it ally, and always find it full to over

gitation has been started to prohibit the tion of cinematograph films from Amer, at any rate, to subject them to an prohibitive tariff. Such an economy, aims at taking away a cheap and, on ole, a healthy form of amusement, does pear to me to be a wise move. If enforced,

it is likely to occasion a great hardship upon comparatively poor persons, who are unable to patronize the more expensive places of amusement.

GOVERNMENT ECONOMIES.

Turning from the subject of private to that of public economy, I may say that the Government has begun to move in the matter and is setting the example. The various departments are cutting down expenditure wherever they can. Minister who presides over one of the smaller departments told me the other day that he had been able to reduce expenses by over £200,000.

A

The Government has closed museums and picture galleries with a few exceptions, and thereby has been able to save £50,000 a year. Many eminent persons protested against the closing of the museums and galleries. Newspapers and journals were full of letters urging upon the Government the advisability of desisting from taking such a step. A Deputation consisting of many well-known men waited upon the Prime Minister and begged him to reconsider the decision arrived at by the Cabinet. The delegates who spoke pointed out that only a small amount of money would be saved, at the expense of the public, to whom museums were "places of rest and reflection." Mr. Asquith was, however, firm, and justified himself by saying, in part:

Every pound that could be saved without serious detriment to the permanent interests of the country was a contribution which it was the duty of the Government not to neglect.

MUNICIPAL ECONOMIES.

What I have said of the National Government is equally true of local bodies. Municipal Governments throughout the United Kingdom are curtailing expenditure and enforcing economy wherever they can. Unfortunately, such retrenchment means the stinting of money upon public improvements, and even on education. There appears to be no help for it, however. The war is occasioning an enormous expenditure, and it must be met, no matter what other public activities are starved.

The British give me the impression of being very much in earnest about economizing in every direction. Their earnestness and sincerity in this matter eloquently bespeaks the fact that they have the sagacity to take a correct measure of the situation, and the resourcefulness to devise measures to meet the exigencies of the times.

I wish we Indians could take a leaf out of the British book.

There is talk everywhere of the necessity of being economical, and there is much evidence that economy is actually being practiced. For instance, many persons are not using loaf or cube sugar at all, but are getting along with granulated or powdered sugar. I was very much impressed with this fact last week when I was taking tea with an Earl's daughter, and found that she was using granulated sugar-something unthinkable before the war, and demonstrating her fervent patriotism. I know of several families whose members do not use sugar in tea, and many others of my acquaintance get along with much less than they used in ante-bellum days. Such instances, which I cite from my personal knowledge, could be multiplied were I to draw upon the experience of other persons.

LUXURIES MUST GO.

The leaders of the nation, however, are far from satisfied with the amount of economies that are being exercised, and are urging every one to do without luxuries, and to economize on necessaries. Statistics show that further economies can be effected.

CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR.

Take the case of sugar for example. The statement recently made by the Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply, appointed at the outset of the war to insure the supply of sugar and to regulate its distribution and price, shows that the British have not exercised the requisite economy in using it. We read :

In spite of the fact that since the beginning of the war the price of sugar has been never less than 50 per cent. above the normal, and is now practically double, there has been no considerable or general reduction in the amount consumed. It is, therefore, evident that further economies in its use can be effected, and the Commission desires to impress upon the public the urgency of the obligation to use every effort to effect such economies. It accordingly requests all classes to reduce their consumption not only of sugar as such, but also of jams, biscuits, sweetmeats, chocolate, and other goods of which sugar is an important constituent,

The Royal Commission on the Sugar Supply has intimated that:

*** the supplies that will be available for the current year will probably fall short of those imported in the year 1915 by 20 per cent. to 25 per cent.

An equivalent reduction in consumption will therefore be necessary, and it is the hope of the Commission that all consumers alike will aim at restricting their use of sugar in that proportion.

MEAT-EATING.

I have asked a number of butchers, who mostly deal in imported meat, if the people are buying less of it because the prices are higher, and because everyone is preaching economy. The reply, in every case, has been in the negative. Some of the butchers have told me that never before have they sold so much meat. The reason they assign for this is that the workers, who alone use imported meat the rich people consume native meat as far as possible) are receiving higher wages, especially those employed in munition factories. One or two of these butchers have been patriotic enough to deplore the fact that the working people were not saving their money against a rainy day.

On my mentioning the matter to a labour leader, I was told that it is only natural for the workers to eat well while they can, For, before the

war, they did not earn enough to ena ble them to live decently.

HINTS FOR ECONOMY.

me

cu

In spite of the efforts that the middle and upper classes have been making, their scale of living is still very high. That newspapers read by the rich should print, week after week, articles giving hints for economy, tells its own tale. Many of the suggestions seem to to be impracticable, and some are actually ridic lous. My general feeling after reading su articles is that floundering attempts are bei made to economize by opersons who have nev before given much thought to such a thing a who do not see their way to give up their to dogs and other fashionable but expensive folli

A walk through the streets which are lined either side by drapery shops, where articles feminine apparel are sold, and a tour of obsery tion through some of these establishments ma one wonder if the people are really economizi on dress, or if the shopkeepers do not have se enough to take down expensive articles from th display windows, which nobody is buying,

ch

FUR IN FASHION.

I never saw so much fur shown in the shops as during this winter. There are any amount of fur coats to be had, and the women are having them, too. They say that fur is cheap, but I tell them that fur is never cheap, and my contention cannot be disproved. Women are not only wearing fur coats, but their dresses are profusely trimmed with fur-and the fur used for this purpose is high-priced. The curious coincidence is that, so far, we have had practically no winter. The days and nights have been spring-like, almost throughout the cold season.

A Member of Parliament said in a statement he made in the House of Commons some time ago that expensive lace handkerchiefs are hanging in the shop-windows in Regent Street. So they are, even to-day, and besides, many other high-priced articles that I could name had I the space to do so. The shop-keepers grumble, and so do the dressmakers. Gold-smiths and silver-smiths also complain. In spite of it all, however, their business has not suffered the loss that a real national campaign for economy would have entailed.

What I have said must not be taken to indicate that no economies in respect of dress have been effected. Much evidence to the contrary is available. Dress-making and millinery are far from flourishing, and the business of drapers and clothiers has suffered some depression. Goldsmiths, silver-smiths, watch-makers, and the like, also, are not doing the business that they transacted before the war. Theatres, too, are affected.

PICTURE PALACES.

The cinematographs, or picture palaces, as they are called, are, however, prospering. They are thronged, especially in the afternoon and early evening. One of the most commodious, luxurious, cleanest, and most enterprising cinematographs in London is in my neighbourhood. It is known as "The Tower Cinema." I go to it occasionally, and always find it full to overflowing.

An agitation has been started to prohibit the importation of cinematograph films from America, or, at any rate, to subject them to an almost prohibitive tariff. Such

an economy, which aims at taking away a cheap and, on the whole, a healthy form of amusement, does Dot appear to me to be a wise move. If enforced,

it is likely to occasion a great hardship upon comparatively poor persons, who are unable to patronize the more expensive places of amusement:

GOVERNMENT ECONOMIES.

Turning from the subject of private to that of public economy, I may say that the Government has begun to move in the matter and is setting the example. The various departments are cutting down expenditure wherever they can. A Minister who presides over one of the smaller departments told me the other day that he had been able to reduce expenses by over £200,000.

The Government has closed museums and picture galleries with a few exceptions, and thereby has been able to save £50,000 a year. Many eminent persons protested against the closing of the museums and galleries. Newspapers and journals were full of letters urging upon the Government the advisability of desisting from taking such a step. A Deputation consisting of many well-known men waited upon the Prime Minister and begged him to reconsider the decision arrived at by the Cabinet. The delegates who spoke pointed out that only a small amount of money would be saved, at the expense of the public, to whom museums were places of rest and reflection." Mr. Asquith was, however, firm, and justified himself by saying, in part:

66

Every pound that could be saved without serious detriment to the permanent interests of the country was a contribution which it was the duty of the Government not to neglect.

MUNICIPAL ECONOMIES.

What I have said of the National Government is equally true of local bodies. Municipal Governments throughout the United Kingdom are curtailing expenditure and enforcing economy wherever they can. Unfortunately, such retrenchment means the stinting of money upon public improvements, and even on education. There appears to be no help for it, however. The war

is occasioning an enormous expenditure, and it must be met, no matter what other public activities are starved.

The British give me the impression of being very much in earnest about economizing in every direction. Their earnestness and sincerity in this matter eloquently bespeaks the fact that they have the sagacity to take a correct measure of the situation, and the resourcefulness to devise measures to meet the exigencies of the times.

I wish we Indians could take a leaf out of the British book.

244

Pandit. At last, there's the Hindu University at Benares set on its legs. If we cannot exactly sing Nunc Dimittids, at least a good beginning has been made, and they say a good beginning is half the battle won. We can congratulate ourselves on the work already done.

Vipra.-I have no intention of damping your feeling of thankfulness, but you know the famous saying attributed to Cæsar by Lucan: "Nothing can be said to have been done so long as anything remains to be done." Meanwhile if you have no objection I should like you to tell me what is the special feature in the Hindu University which makes you so keen about it.

P.-Why, you must be trying to make fun of me. I thought everybody knew that the Hindu University constitutes a new departure in education in India, or as some would put it, a return to the old conditions, and will open a new epoch in the history of our country, because it will put an end to the divorce between education and religion which has been allowed to continue for a long time.

V.-Please be more particular; generalities generally go wrong. No doubt, it is grand to put an end to the divorce between education and religion, but you can do it only by putting an end to the divorce between life and religion. What I want to know and what I am sure you can tell me is, how you mean to go about in making this new departure in education.

P. Well, the details are not all settled, but our aim is to impart religious education so that our young men may no longer be indifferent to religion, and their character may receive the same training and discipline as their intellect.

V.-That is a grand thing indeed if it can be realised in practice.

P.-But why should you doubt it? Don't you know that we Hindus are the most spiritual people in the world, and can boast with justice of deeper and more continuous spiritual culture than any other nation in the world? You cannot surely be ignorant of the great spiritual achievements of our ancestors, and why should we, their descendants, who have kept unsullied the purity of their blood, be unable to walk in their footsteps?

V.-I yield to none in the admiration of our forefathers, but don't you think we build our hopes too much on their achievements? The

wisdom of our ancestors, deep and broad as was, is no substitute for present-day ignorance for one do not entertain much hope of any peop who rest content with warming themselves at t ashes of ancient fires and shining by the borro ed lustre of the achievements of their ancesto The difference between our wise forefathers a our foolish selves is so great that I sometin doubt whether we are justified in basing a hopes of our future on their greatness. But are wandering from the point, and you have answered my question.

P.-What other answer do you want? Did I tell you that our aim was to impart relig education and so forth?

V.-Yes, but how are you going to do That's what I want to know.

V.-I am surprised to hear that question. I remind you of the Meno of Plato? In dialogue Socrates made it very clear why cannot be taught so easily as imagined. religion which is virtue plus something, a any rate cannot be less than virtue, wil prove less easy to teach than virtue. But ably you mean by religion religious doctrine by morality moral maxims. These no doub be taught in the ordinary way.

P. And are not these sufficient? V. Surely you do not mean to say that on account of want of knowledge of reli doctrine and moral maxims that our young go wrong, and that you have only to tell what is right and proper and they will do it. me tell you, mere erudition of any sort is m a load of learned lumber and worse than us and mere theological erudition is worst o

P.-No doubt it is so, but do you know of other method of imparting religious educa

H. H. THE MAHARAJA OF GWALIOR. Pro-Chancellor of the Hindu University.